International Indian Public School Riyadh Review
The story so far...
Founded in 1995 as SEVA School, International Indian Public School (IIPSR) was renamed in 1998. In common with all International Indian Schools in KSA, the Patron is H.E. Dr.Ausaf Sayeed, Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Vice Patron is H.E. Mr. Mohd Shahid Alam, Consul General. The school is supervised by a six person school Management Board and three member supervisory High Board. The school publishes the details of its operational structure in the Charter schools document which is applicable to each school.
The Charter states that each school established in different parts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia run by the resident Indian community for Indian pupils shall be called the “International Indian School”. The students must be the children of Indian community members legally resident in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and registered with the School. Although the charter allows for residents of non-Indian nationals to be admitted, it seems that this happens seldom.
Under the terms of the Charter, each school is required to provide the highest quality of education according to the CBSE syllabus, ensure the English language as the medium of instruction, provide education at Nursery, Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary and Senior Secondary level, and provide opportunities for students to access appropriate co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
The school is led by Principal, Mohammad Imran, who, introducing his school, says; “At IIPS, we envision academic excellence coupled with [a] strong value system that shall sustain our youngsters in the journey of their lives. Academic excellence is on a priority yet we strive to achieve the fullest potential of each and every child by encouraging them to participate in co-curricular activities”.
IIPS says “It is our goal to provide an atmosphere conductive for academic, social and emotional growth of the child and to develop a love for learning.” The school aims to create an environment “conducive to inculcating and pursuing: INTEGRITY, INTELLIGENCE, PERSEVERANCE, and SUCCESS.”
IIPSR is unusual in that in addition to the focus on mainstream education, it also offers a centre to support the needs of students with additional learning requirements and Special Educational Needs.
The school says it “aims to create a supportive and inclusive environment where gifted and differently able students are encouraged to explore their inner potential and achieve their personal best in all aspects of school life.”
Little information is provided about the teaching staff, but according to the Principal, “the excellent reputation of IIPS is a direct result of its superior staff. The staff at IIPS consists of professionals who are committed to enriching the learning experience of their students. Staff members are carefully selected not only for their academic qualifications and experience, but as importantly for their dynamic abilities to relate to each individual student in a potent, sensitive and understanding manner.”
The school can accommodate approximately 2,000 students who are gender-separated from Grade 1, and operates a single shift from Sunday to Thursday from 6am to 2pm.
What about the curriculum?
The school follows the CBSE curriculum, describing its delivery as “child-centered and activity-oriented with reinforcement of academics using audio-visual aids and play-way methods”.
Core subjects include English (Language and the medium of instruction), Mathematics, Compulsory Arabic, and Saudi History and Culture.
In the Elementary School (from Nursery to Grade 3), additional subjects include EVS, Health and Physical Education, Art, Craft (Nursery), whilst students in Lower KG is also participate in Computer Science. In Upper KG, Hindi is also added to the subject list.
Students in Grades 1 and 2 study Hindi, EVS, Health and Physical Education, Art, Craft, Computer Science, General Knowledge, Islamic Studies or Moral Science, and in Grade 3, a third language is added to the curriculum from a choice of Malayalam, Arabic, French, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada or Urdu.
Students join the Primary School in Grade 4, completing their Primary education in Grade 8.
Subjects from Grade 4 to Grade 8, in addition to English, Mathematics, Compulsory Arabic, and Saudi History and Culture include Hindi, their chosen third language, EVS, Health and Physical Education, Art, Computer Science, Islamic Studies or Moral Science, General Knowledge.
From Grade 9, students study the required subjects to the CBSE Grade 10 and 12 examinations. IIPSR offers solely a Science stream for Grade 12.
In addition to the academic subjects, the school also offers an extra and co-curricular programme to help students develop their talents and all aspects of their personalities. Activities provided include computer literacy, sports, gymnastics, swimming, music, literary activities and educational trips.
What about support for students with additional learning needs?
IIPS Riyadh is one of a small number of schools in KSA that appears to be genuinely inclusive in terms of providing specialist support for students with additional gifts and talents, or for those with a requirement for learning support.
Its Special Care Centre (SCC) is attached to IIPS, providing a range of activities and therapeutic services.
The aims of the Centre are to provide an environment that is conducive to children’s self-expression and development, provide evaluation and implementation of a Special Education Programme according to the needs of the children, provide pre-vocational and vocational training, offer Therapeutic services, and provide family guidance and counseling services.
The Centre has a team of qualified staff including Special Educators, a Physiotherapist and Speech Therapist, a doctor and teachers. There is an additional fee of 800 SAR per month for the use of the SCC.
What about Academic achievement?
The school makes some of its examination results available on its website – those for the Grade 12 2020-21 session can be found here, whilst those for Grade 10 can be found here. The school includes both its Toppers and also a breakdown of results by division.
In the Senior School Exams for 2021, a total of 39 students were entered, of whom 36 passed. 25 students passed with Distinction, whilst 31 were awarded First Division and 5 passed with Second Division. There were 81 students in the Grade 10 cohort.
What about the facilities?
IIPSR has a total of 70 classrooms, and offers specialist laboratories for mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology. There are also two computer science labs, a Home Science lab, a Music lab and five language labs. The school also offers two libraries and a gymnasium for indoor sports activities.
Details of outdoor facilities are not provided.
The Buzz
A smaller school than the International Indian School Riyadh, IIPSR does not seem to have achieved the same level of demand. Whether this is due to physical availability of space, the narrower subject options and streams at Grade 11 (there is clearly attrition from students leaving at the end of Grade 10), or its higher fee structure is not clear.
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What about the fees?
Tuition Fees are payable on a monthly basis and start at 555 SAR for Nursery to Grade IV, 655 SAR for Grade V to X and 830 SAR for Grade XI and XII. Fees are not inclusive of VAT.
There is an additional fee of 880 SAR for students supported by the SCC.
Additional fees include a non-refundable Admission Fee of 1,000 SAR, a non-refundable Development Fund fee of 1,000 SAR , and a refundable Caution Deposit of 1,000 SAR. 1000 which is refunded at the time of withdrawal of the child from the school.
Students from UKG are required to take an Entrance Test, the fee for which is for 50 SAR. This amount is not refundable under any circumstances.,
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